1. Field of Invention
The present invention is directed to wireless communications, and more particularly, to a portable diagnostic device for trouble-shooting wireless packet-based networks.
2. Description of Related Art
Wireless telecommunications providers each utilize an extensive array of diagnostic tools and procedures to optimize the level of reliability experienced by their respective customers. A lineman's handset is one example of a tool regularly used to trouble-shoot a service problem being experienced by a customer. The lineman's handset is a portable device that may be used by a field technician to test a particular telephone line for compliance with performance standards relating to items such as dial tone reception, proper ringing signals and noise levels.
Wireless data protocols, such as the Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) and General Packet Radio Service (GPRS), for example, enable people to access Internet content via wireless devices. WAP is an application environment and a set of communications protocols for wireless devices that enables a user to wirelessly request and receive content from the Internet. The event of requesting and receiving content from the Internet via a WAP-enabled device is referred to as a WAP session. A typical WAP session is supported in part by resources of a typical circuit-switched cellular network and in part by resources of a data network.
A GPRS session is supported almost entirely by resources of a data network, with the exception of the cellular base station, which provides the communication link between the GPRS data network and the GPRS-enabled mobile station. GPRS networks can deliver content such as, for example, short message service (SMS), multi-media messaging service (MMS), email, games and WAP applications.
Although portable diagnostic handsets exist that can be utilized by a network engineer to trouble-shoot circuit-switched mobile communication networks, these devices are not capable of trouble-shooting packet-based data networks. Historically, protocol sniffers located at network communications operations centers (NOCs) have been used to trouble-shoot various communications problems in wireless packet-based data networks, including, for example, point-to-point protocol (PPP) negotiations. Protocol sniffers are unobtrusively inserted into the protocol flow at a NOC at a point between appropriate network elements such as servers, routers, etc., where protocol events can be trapped, or “sniffed”, for subsequent display and analysis at the NOC. Protocol sniffers generally are designed for use in the wired environment of the NOC, not in the field where a wireless network subscriber's wireless terminal (e.g., telephone, personal computer (PC), personal digital assistant (PDA), etc.) connects to a host computer or the Internet via a radio frequency (RF) system.
A need exists for a portable diagnostic device that is capable of being used to diagnose packet-based data networks, such as, for example, GPRS and WAP networks, and which is adapted to be used in the field.